Barasa calls for safety of miners, urges hastened establishment of gold refinery in Ikolomani

The County Government of Kakamega is now calling on the ministry of Mining to fastrack the establishment of the Kakamega Gold Mine refinery in Ikolomani.

Speaking after visiting the site where 20 miners have been buried in a shaft in Imachilifu village, Museno community area in Isukha South Shinyalu constituency, Governor Fernandes Barasa said the mining activities need to be regulated.

The February 3 incident saw the 20 miners being buried alive but out of which 18 have been rescued and are continuing to receive treatment at the county general hospital.

The incident comes hardly a week after the cabinet secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Joho Ali Hassan visited the county and issued a warning against of illegal mining activities that are not only dangerous but denying the county and community of their deserved benefits.

The minister said the county was blessed with a variety of precious stones including Gold that could spruce up the economic status of the ‘Mulembe’ people if proper mining channels were followed.

He asked the county administration to work hand in hand with security operators to safeguard the mines from illegal and unscrupulous miners who were fleecing both the county government and its citizens of their precious minerals.

“It is important that we safeguard these mines for todays and future generations,” Joho said then.

He called on the Kakamega county to put legislations in place that will protect their mining spots from illegal miners and urged the county commissioner to work in hand with the county administration to bring sanity to the lucrative enterprise.

He also stated that it was time Kenya halted the exportation of mining raw materials including copper ore that has gold deposits in it and being sold at a throw away price of less than (USD20,000) and yet it could can fetch (USD 3,000) per ton after being separated upon exportation.

“Kenya has a special mineral known as Antimony that is fetching USD 40,000 per ton and despite this we still have dubious dealers exporting it a throw away price while China has banned its exportation after realizing its worth.

“We have in the recent past arrested some mining cartels who were carrying out the illegal business that runs into millions of shillings but upon being presented before the courts they were fined as little as Ksh.40,000.

“Imagine recently in Migori we made the arrest of 40 excavators and 40 trucks full of mineral extractions ready to be exported and they were apprehended only to be fined the said amount,” he lamented.

“Let the judiciary also be realistic in their judgement especially on such sensitive issues involving millions of money as this kind of fine only encourages more cartels to thrive in the business,” he noted.

Governor Fernandes Barasa calls for hastened establishment of gold refinery in Ikolomani

The County Government of Kakamega is now calling on the ministry of Mining to fastrack the establishment of the Kakamega Gold Mine refinery in Ikolomani.

Speaking after visiting the site where 20 miners have been buried in a shaft in Imachilifu village, Museno community area in Isukha South Shinyalu constituency, Governor Fernandes Barasa said the mining activities need to be regulated.

The February 3 incident saw the 20 miners being buried alive but out of which 18 have been rescued and are continuing to receive treatment at the county general hospital.

The incident comes hardly a week after the cabinet secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Joho Ali Hassan visited the county and issued a warning against of illegal mining activities that are not only dangerous but denying the county and community of their deserved benefits.

The minister said the county was blessed with a variety of precious stones including Gold that could spruce up the economic status of the ‘Mulembe’ people if proper mining channels were followed.

He asked the county administration to work hand in hand with security operators to safeguard the mines from illegal and unscrupulous miners who were fleecing both the county government and its citizens of their precious minerals.

“It is important that we safeguard these mines for todays and future generations,” Joho said then.

He called on the Kakamega county to put legislations in place that will protect their mining spots from illegal miners and urged the county commissioner to work in hand with the county administration to bring sanity to the lucrative enterprise.

He also stated that it was time Kenya halted the exportation of mining raw materials including copper ore that has gold deposits in it and being sold at a throw away price of less than (USD20,000) and yet it could can fetch (USD 3,000) per ton after being separated upon exportation.

“Kenya has a special mineral known as Antimony that is fetching USD 40,000 per ton and despite this we still have dubious dealers exporting it a throw away price while China has banned its exportation after realizing its worth.

“We have in the recent past arrested some mining cartels who were carrying out the illegal business that runs into millions of shillings but upon being presented before the courts they were fined as little as Ksh.40,000.

“Imagine recently in Migori we made the arrest of 40 excavators and 40 trucks full of mineral extractions ready to be exported and they were apprehended only to be fined the said amount,” he lamented.

“Let the judiciary also be realistic in their judgement especially on such sensitive issues involving millions of money as this kind of fine only encourages more cartels to thrive in the business,” he noted.